Paintbrush protector

ABSTRACT

A brush protector with hinges, a button, a string, and air holes. The hinges enable the brush protector to be folded to form a cavity to contain a brush which can be retained in position by means of the string attached to the button. The air holes facilitate drying of the brush.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Provisional Application for Patent 60/209,439 of Jun. 5, 2000 with the same title “Paintbrush Protector” which is hereby incorporated by reference. Applicants claim priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. Par. 119(e)(i).

[0002] Statement as to Rights to inventions made under Federally sponsored research and development: Not applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] 1. Field of the Invention

[0004] The present invention is a paint brush protector similar to, but different than, the Paintbrush Protector of Losole, Des. 350,234 of Sep. 6, 1994 with U.S. Class listed as D4/199.

[0005] 2. Background Information

[0006] There doesn't seem to be a durable paint brush protector commercially available.

[0007] In an internet patent search through the U.S.P.T.O. files, two patents were located:

[0008] Des. 350,234 of Sep. 6, 1994 by Losole

[0009] Des. 401,765 of Dec. 1, 1998 by Soutullo

[0010] Losolo's Paintbrush Protector, '234, is commercially available, but the latching mechanism doesn't hold up well.

[0011] This applicant was not able to find Soutullo's Paint Brush Cover, '765, commercially available. The design illustrated has a disadvantage in that what appears to restrain a paint brush within the paint brush protector restricts the variety of paint brush handles that can be contained within the paint brush protector.

[0012] Paint brush protectors that are included with a paint brush are of paper or cardboard, and are not intended to protect the brush after the first use of the brush.

[0013] As will be seen in the subsequent description, the preferred embodiment of the present invention overcomes these and other shortcomings of exisitng paint brush holders and protectors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The present invention, in the preferred embodiment, is a brush protector for protecting brushes, such as but not restricted to paint brushes, comprising hinges, a button, a string with a first end and a second end, and air holes to facilitate drying of a brush. The first end of the string is attached to the button.

[0015] The hinges enable the brush protector to be foldable to form a cavity to accept a brush such as, but not restricted to, a paint brush.

[0016] A brush can be retained in the cavity of the brush protector by wrapping the string around the brush and then securing a second end of the string to either the string or to the button.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017]FIG. 1 shows the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a brush protector with a brush.

[0018]FIG. 2 shows the brush protector without a brush.

[0019]FIG. 3 illustrates the cover with hinges and panels.

[0020]FIG. 4 illustrates how the cover folds around a brush.

[0021] FIGS. 5-8 illustrate an alternate embodiment of the present invention, a tapered brush protector similarly to the FIGS. 1-4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 1-4, the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a brush protector 1, comprises a button 3, a string 4 with a first end 4A and a second end 4B, hinges 6, and air holes 13.

[0023]FIG. 1 shows a prior art brush 2, such as, but not restricted to, a paint brush, contained within the brush protector 1.

[0024]FIG. 2 shows a cavity 5 in the brush protector 1 which enables the brush 2 to be contained within the brush protector 1.

[0025]FIG. 3 shows the brush protector 1 with the hinges 6 which enable the brush protector 1 to be folded as indicated by the directional arrows in FIG. 4 to form the cavity 5 to contain the brush 2.

[0026] As indicated in FIGS. 1 and 4, the brush 2 is retained in the brush protector 1 by the string 4 which is attached to the button 3. With the first end 4A of the string 4 attached to the button 3, the string 4 is wrapped around the brush 2. If desired, the second end 4B of the string 4 can be attached to the string 10 or wrapped around the button 3 to more securely retain the brush 2 in the cavity 5 of the brush protector 1.

[0027] The air holes 13, shown in FIG. 3, facilitate drying of the brush 2 when it is contained in the cavity 5 of the brush protector 1.

[0028] As best shown in FIG. 3, the brush protector 1 is made up of seven panels (21 through 27) which are hinged together by hinges 6 which are living hinges. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the panels (21 through 27) can be laid out in a flat sheet or they can be folded up to form a brush containing cavity 5 best shown in FIG. 2.

[0029] The brush protector 1 is square in shape, when folded, so as to accomodate a square brush 2.

[0030] An alternate embodiment brush protector 7, when folded as shown in FIGS. 5, 7, and 8 accomodates a tapered brush 8, such as, but not restricted to, a tapered paint brush.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 5-8, the alternate brush protector 7 comprises an alternate button 9, an alternate string 10 with a first end 10A and a second end 10B, alternate hinges 12, and air holes 14.

[0032]FIG. 5 shows a tapered brush 8 contained within the alternate brush protector 7, secured in position with the first end 10A of the alternate string 10 attached to the alternate button 9, said string 10 wrapped around said brush 8, and with the second end 10B of said string 10 also attachable to said button 9.

[0033]FIG. 6 shows said brush protector 7 with said button 9 and said string 10 but without said brush 8 to illustrate the alternate cavity 11 which enables said brush 8 to be contained within said brush protector 1.

[0034]FIG. 7 shows said brush protector 7 with said hinges 12 which enable said brush protector 7 to be folded as indicated by the directional arrows in FIG. 8 to form said cavity 11 to contain said brush 8.

[0035] The preferred material is an injection moldable plastic, such as, but not restricted to, a polypropelene plastic.

[0036] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the hinges 6 are molded hinges known in the trade as living hinges.

[0037] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, said strings 4 and 10 are elastic strings.

[0038] Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention.

[0039] It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given. 

I claim:
 1. A brush protector comprising: a) a button; b) a string comprising a first end and a second end; c) hinges; and d) air holes; wherein said hinges enable said brush protector to be folded to form a cavity to contain a brush; wherein said first end of said string is attached to said button; wherein said string can be wrapped around said brush when said brush is contained in said cavity; wherein said second end of said string can be attached to said string or said button if desired, thereby retaining said brush in said cavity; and wherein said air holes facilitate drying of said brush.
 2. A brush protector comprising: a set of at least four generally flat panels connected by hinges, said brush protector having a first position wherein said panels lay in the same general plane; and a second position wherein said panels are hinged together to form a cavity, such that the brush portion may be contained within the cavity and attachment means to hold said brush within said cavity. 